A revolutionary new idea in the Premier League
To prevent goalkeepers from exaggerating or feigning injuries to waste time, English soccer is to trial a new rule in 2026/27.
English soccer is set to trial a new rule that seeks to cut out time-wasting by goalkeepers. The experiment aims to reduce gamesmanship by keepers who feign injuries, requiring treatment on the field in order to run down the clock or disrupt momentum that is working against their team. It’s a practice that has received heavy criticism from clubs across England, as well as the British media.
In a bid to eliminate dissuade goalkeepers from potentially exaggerating or fabricating injuries, English authorities have secured approval from IFAB, the global game’s rule-making body, to introduce the pilot program “across the men’s and women’s professional game” in the 2026/27 season.
How will England’s anti-gamesmanship trial work?
Under the trial regulation, if a goalkeeper receives medical treatment on the field, an outfield player must leave the pitch for at least one minute after play resumes. “The aim is to ensure genuine injuries continue to receive appropriate medical attention while removing any potential sporting advantage associated with stoppages.” the English Football Association said in a statement.
A team’s head coach will be responsible for selecting which player leaves the field. If no player is designated, the captain will be required to go off. There are several exceptions under which an outfield player would not be required to leave the pitch following treatment to a goalkeeper. These include situations where the keeper states that medical attention is not needed; when the keeper and an outfield player have collided; when the keeper has been fouled and requires immediate treatment; when the keeper is bleeding; and, of course, in cases of a serious injury that requires a substitution or involves a concussion.
Time limit for subs
In addition, beginning with the opening whistle of next season’s Carabao Cup on Saturday, August 1, a new 10-second limit for substituted players to leave the field will come into effect across professional soccer in England. The first match to serve as a pilot test under the new regulations will be Tranmere Rovers vs Rochdale in the Carabao Cup on August 1.
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